History of the Internet Lesson

Close-up of a green printed circuit board showing metallic solder points and etched conductive pathways.
Close-up of a green circuit board. © History Skills

Learning objectives

In this lesson, students will learn how the internet developed from Cold War research into a worldwide network by tracing key steps such as ARPANET, packet switching, TCP/IP, DNS, and the World Wide Web. Students will also learn how newer developments such as social media, mobile internet, cloud services, and modern data laws changed how people communicated, worked, and handled personal information online. Students will have the opportunity to achieve this through choosing their own method of learning, from reading and research options, as well as the chance to engage in extension activities. This lesson includes a self-marking quiz for students to demonstrate their learning.

How would you like to learn?

Option 1: Reading


Step 1: Download a copy of the reading questions worksheet:

Download
History of the Internet Reading Question
Microsoft Word Document 26.3 KB

Step 2: Answer the set questions by reading the webpage below:


Option 2: Internet research


Download a copy of the worksheet and use the internet to complete the tables.

Download
History of the Internet Research Workshe
Microsoft Word Document 30.4 KB

Test your learning



Extension activities



Resources for subscribers